is in the fiscal cliff. in britain today, the finance minister george osborn was forced to defend his policy of austerity in the light of economic growth. >> when georgia osborn when to address the house of commons from the british economy -- on the british economy, he had to read mcvet is taking much longer than in must got to balance -- he had to admit it is taking much habrÉ than it osborn when o address was first thought to balance the nation's books. >> the people want to know that we are making progress, and the message today is that we are making progress. it is a hard road, but we are getting there. >> he pointed to the economic problems globally that are making his job harder. as a result, the chancellor announced austerity would have to last for logger, until 2018, in fact. that means more benefits will now be squeezed, and there will be a tax rates on the pension pops. >> i know these tax measures willthought to balance not be r. ways to reduce the deficit never are. but we must act together. whe